It's Great to Have People Editor's Letter - January 2009

People are hard, people are difficult, people are complex and worst of all people don’t always agree with us.We are all at some point annoyed with some or all of the people around us, whether it be our children for misbehaving, our coworkers for not seeing our point of view, an elderly parent who doesn’t remember as much as they used to, certain Bunco groups who sometimes tease us (me) too much, strangers who for one reason or another put us in a foul mood.People, it’s all about the people.I’m sure we’ve all felt at one time or another we sure could live without them.

Yet, in the Christmas season, I’m aware of how much we need people.The season is joyous because others share in the joy of our Lord’s birth.One of my favorite Christmas songs is “Go tell it on the Mountain,” if we didn’t have people, who would we tell?We need people.People are who make us who we are, our experiences with other people have shaped us, good or bad, but who would we be without people?

In Ecclesiastes 4:8-12 IT says There was a man all alone; he had neither son nor brother.There was no end to his toil, yet his eyes were not content with his wealth.“For whom am I toiling,” he asked, “and why am I depriving myself of enjoyment?”This too is meaningless – a miserable business!Two are better than one, because they have a good return for their work:If one falls down, his friend can help him up. But pity the man who falls and has no one to help him up!Also, if two lie down together, they will keep warm.But how can one keep warm alone?Though one may be overpowered, two can defend themselves.A cord of three strands is not quickly broken.The Life Application Study Bible says of these verses “there are advantages to cooperating with others.Life is designed for companionship, not isolation, thinking they cannot trust anyone.We are not here on earth to serve ourselves, however, but to serve God and others.Don’t isolate yourself and try to go it alone.Seek companions; be a team member.

In the Bible, we are told eight times to love our neighbor as ourselves, and only after we love the Lord our god with all our hearts, souls, strength and minds.It is made very clear to us that we are not put on this earth for ourselves.Yes, it is true we sometimes feel lonely and no one understands.But have you ever, in those time of loneliness, gotten a phone call from a friend and felt better just for having talked to someone?Have you ever been lonely and helped someone else in need?We are as lonely as we want to be, there are a plethora of people who love us, need us, want us.We just have to reach out.

We also need to realize each of us is ONE of those people who most probably are annoying to someone, only because we are all human.God made us all different so we can learn from each other.That’s what makes us who we are:hard difficult, complex, yet creative and talented in our own right.

This newsletter is about inspiration.There are articles about people and cultures to inspire us.So in this New Year, I am looking for my blessing, my inspiration.I already see them in the women who in my Bunco group who tease me because they love me (and vise versa); the women who I call “my people” sitting behind me at the 5:30pm Saturday night mass, I feel as if I’ve come “home” when I see them; the staff at St. John’s who help me with the newsletter even when I’m in crisis mode; of course my family; my special coffee friends; and all of you who read my Editor’s Letter and tell me how much it touches you.People are hard, people are difficult, people are complex; isn’t it great to have people?Happy New Year People!